Skynet 5C - Wikiwand

British military communications satellite

Mission typeMilitary communications

OperatorParadigm Secure Communications
EADS Astrium
On behalf of British Ministry of Defence

COSPAR ID2008-030A

Skynet 5C
Spacecraft properties


Mission type	Military communications
Operator	Paradigm Secure Communications EADS Astrium On behalf of British Ministry of Defence
COSPAR ID	2008-030A
SATCAT no.	33055
Mission duration	15 years


Manufacturer	EADS Astrium
Launch mass	4,700 kilograms (10,400 lb)


Start of mission
Launch date	12 June 2008 (2008-06-12)
Rocket	Ariane 5ECA
Launch site	Kourou ELA-3
Contractor	Arianespace


Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geosynchronous

Skynet 5C is the third of four Skynet 5 military communications satellites to be used by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD).

It was launched from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5ECA carrier rocket at 22:05:02 GMT on 12 June 2008.^[1] The launch was originally scheduled for 23 May, but was delayed to 30 May, and then delayed again due to software problems with the carrier rocket. Originally built as a ground spare satellite, the decision to launch was made in 2007. Arianespace provided launch services.

Spacecraft

It was constructed by EADS Astrium under a contract to its subsidiary company Paradigm Secure Communications, who will operate the satellite on behalf of the MoD. Based on the Eurostar E3000 satellite bus, it has a mass of 4,700 kilograms, and an expected on-orbit lifetime of 15 years.^[2]

Skynet 5C is part of a constellation of communications satellites for the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense that supports nuclear hardened and protected military X-band and UHF frequency capabilities.^[3]

Skynet 5C is located at 17.8 degrees West.^[4]

References

Spaceflight portal

↑ "Successful dual launch for Arianespace: Skynet 5C and Turksat 3A in orbit; 25th successful launch in a row for Ariane 5". Arianespace. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
↑ Krebs, Gunter D. "Skynet 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
↑ George Allison (21 May 2018). "What is Skynet? A look at Britain's military communications satellites". ukdefencejournal.org.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
↑ "Satbeams - Skynet 5C". satbeams.com. Retrieved 18 March 2023.

v t e Skynet satellites
Skynet 1	Skynet 1A Skynet 1B
Skynet 2	Skynet 2A Skynet 2B
Skynet 4	Skynet 4A Skynet 4B Skynet 4C Skynet 4D Skynet 4E Skynet 4F
Skynet 5	Skynet 5A Skynet 5B Skynet 5C Skynet 5D

v t e ← 2007 Orbital launches in 2008 2009 →
January	Thuraya 3 TecSAR Ekspress AM-33
February	Progress M-63 STS-122 (Columbus) Thor 5 Kizuna
March	Jules Verne ATV STS-123 (Kibō ELM-PS, Dextre, Spacelab MD002) USA-200 AMC-14 USA-201 DirecTV-11 SAR-Lupe 4
April	Soyuz TMA-12 ICO G1 C/NOFS Vinasat-1, Star One C2 Tianlian I-01 GIOVE-B Cartosat-2A, Rubin-8, AAUSat-2, CanX-2, CanX-6, Compass-1, CUTE-1.7 + APD II, Delfi-C3, SEEDS-2 Amos-3
May	Progress M-64 Galaxy 18 Kosmos 2437, Kosmos 2438, Kosmos 2439, Yubileiny Fengyun 3A STS-124 (Kibō PM)
June	ChinaSat 9 Fermi Skynet 5C, Türksat 3A Orbcomm FM29, Orbcomm FM37, Orbcomm FM38, Orbcomm FM39, Orbcomm FM40, Orbcomm FM41 OSTM/Jason-2 Kosmos 2440
July	Badr-6, ProtoStar 1 EchoStar XI SAR-Lupe 5 Kosmos 2441
August	Trailblazer, NanoSail-D, PRESat, Explorers Superbird-C2, AMC-21 Omid Inmarsat-4 F3 Tachys, Mati, Choma, Choros, Trochia
September	Huan Jing 1A, Huan Jing 1B GeoEye-1 Progress M-65 Nimiq-4 Galaxy 19 Kosmos 2442, Kosmos 2243, Kosmos 2444 Shenzhou 7 (Banxing-1) Ratsat
October	THEOS Soyuz TMA-13 IBEX Chandrayaan-1 (MIP) Shijian 6E, Shijian 6F COSMO-3 Venesat-1
November	Chuang Xin 1B, Shiyan Weixing 3 Astra 1M Kosmos 2445 STS-126 (Leonardo MPLM, PSSC-1) Progress M-01M
December	Yaogan 4 Kosmos 2446 Yaogan 5 Hot Bird 9, Eutelsat W2M Fengyun 2E Kosmos 2447, Kosmos 2448, Kosmos 2449
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).

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